BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE
Senator Carol Liu, Chair
BILL NO: AB 1640
A
AUTHOR: Mitchell
B
VERSION: May 25, 2012
HEARING DATE: June 26, 2012
1
FISCAL: Yes
6
4
CONSULTANT: Mareva Brown
0
SUBJECT
CalWORKs benefits: pregnant mothers
SUMMARY
Requires CalWORKs aid to be paid to a pregnant mother who
is 18 years of age or younger at any time after
verification of pregnancy, regardless of whether she is
eligible for the Cal-Learn Program. Current law extends
benefits only in the third trimester of pregnancy, or upon
verification of pregnancy if the pregnant mother is a
participant in Cal-Learn.
ABSTRACT
Existing law
1.Establishes, under federal law, the Temporary Assistance
for Needy Families (TANF) program, providing block grants
to eligible states as part of a welfare-to-work program
for qualified low-income families.
2.Establishes, under state law, the CalWORKs program, which
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STAFF ANALYSIS OF ASSEMBLY BILL 1640 (Mitchell)
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is funded through a combination of state and county funds
and federal funds received through the TANF program, to
provide eligible low-income families cash assistance and
employment services. (WIC 11200 et seq.)
3.Requires payment of CalWORKs aid to a pregnant mother in
a family without a needy child qualified for aid for the
month in which the birth is anticipated and for the
three-month period immediately prior to the month in
which the birth is anticipated. (WIC 11450 (b))
4.Establishes the Cal-Learn program to provide intensive
case management, support services, a comprehensive range
of health and social services and other services to
teenagers under age 19 without a high school diploma or
equivalent, who are pregnant or parenting). (WIC 11331)
5.Requires that teens, in order to qualify for aid under
Cal-Learn, participate in school on a full-time basis
until earning her high school diploma or its equivalent,
as specified. (WIC 11331.5)
6.Requires payment of CalWORKs aid to a pregnant mother
without other children upon verification of pregnancy if
the pregnant teen also is eligible for the Cal-Learn
Program. (WIC 11450 (b)(1))
7.Requires that CalWORKs aid be paid to eligible pregnant
teens pursuant to this section only when the Cal-Learn
program is operative. (WIC 11450 (b)(2))
This bill
1.Requires that CalWORKs benefits be provided to any
eligible pregnant woman aged 18 or younger at any time
after verification of pregnancy.
2.Eliminates the requirement that pregnant women be
eligible for the Cal-Learn program in order to qualify
for CalWORKs aid under this section.
FISCAL IMPACT
An Assembly Appropriations analysis projects annual
CalWORKs grant and administrative costs of approximately
STAFF ANALYSIS OF ASSEMBLY BILL 1640 (Mitchell)
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$500,000 (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/General
Fund (TANF/GF)) to the extent that 500 young women under
the age of 18 receive an additional three months of
CalWORKs benefits. Additionally, to the extent eligible
pregnant women early in their pregnancy receive three
months of CalFresh benefits that they had not otherwise
applied for, this bill could bring in an additional
$220,000 in federal food and nutrition benefits. The
administrative costs for those cases would be approximately
$120,000 ($60,000 GF).
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Purpose of the bill
According to the author very young, poor, pregnant
women who don't receive grant income and uninterrupted
supportive services are more likely to experience
premature and low-birth-weight babies. Their children
are more likely to experience health and behavioral
challenges which may have life-long impacts on child
development. These young women are experiencing
multiple stressful situations during their
pregnancies. The author cites studies that indicate
that maternal stress can negatively affect pregnancy
and have long-term impacts on the baby's development
and well-being.
This bill ensures that pregnant girls aged 18 or
younger who have no other children, and are not living
with a parent who is receiving CalWORKs benefits, can
receive aid as soon as their pregnancy is verified.
This bill has been substantially amended from versions
heard in the Assembly, which would have provided
eligibility to CalWORKs and Medi-Cal for women aged 18
and older upon verification of pregnancy, rather than
beginning in the third trimester. This version of the
bill, which was amended to reduce projected costs,
focuses solely providing CalWORKs eligibility for
pregnant teens upon verification of pregnancy.
Effect of Poverty on Pregnancy
Various research reports have suggested a correlation
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between poverty and low birth weights and between poverty
and psychological stress.
A 2008 study published in Health Psychology additionally
showed correlations between the psychological state of a
pregnant mother and the health of the fetus. Mothers
experiencing a high amount of stress during pregnancy
deliver their infants earlier and at lower birth weights.
Children who are born too early and who weigh less at birth
are at a higher risk for "infant mortality, infant
morbidity, and health problems that may persist into
childhood, adolescence and adulthood."<1> The study also
found that pregnancy-specific stress - related to concern
about the pregnancy and associated life changes - is an
even more powerful contributor to birth outcomes than
general stress.
Resilience among children in difficult environments was
shown to be improved with parental management and support
skills, according to a 1997 study. The study found that
exposure to stress can have detrimental effects on children
and adolescents, but that a child's resilience can mitigate
some of those effects. It found that prenatal and primary
care can further moderate the effects of stress. Long-term
stressors include deprivation, abuse, and poverty. <2>
According to researchers at Brown University, large
developmental delays and limitations in function were
common among children with very low birth weights. The
study, published in the journal, Clinics in Perinatology in
2002, found that minority status and living in a household
headed by a single mother further worsen the disadvantages
associated with a very low birth weight and that that TANF
eligibility requirements may increase difficulty in
obtaining prenatal and other medical services for mothers
-------------------------
<1> Label, Marci, et. Al. "Pregnancy-Specific Stress,
Prenatal Health Behaviors, and Birth
Outcomes." Health Psychology 27.5 (2008): 604 -615.
<2> Smith, Carolyn and Bonnie E. Carlson. "Stress, Coping,
and Resilience in Children and Youth."Social Service Review
71.2 (1997): 231-256.
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and children in need.<3>
California's teen pregnancy rate
Teen pregnancies have fallen to their lowest rate since
1991, according to the California Department of Public
Health. In 2010, there were 29 births for every 1,000
females aged 15-19. This was a drop from a rate of 32.1
births in 2009 and from a record high rate of 70.9 births
in 1991.
Nationally, in 2010, California ranked 22nd among all
states in birth rates among teens aged 15-19, and was
below the national average, according to data compiled by
the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Other states
In its "Welfare Rules Databook: State TANF Policies as of
July 2010," the Urban Institute compares state policies on
providing welfare-to-work benefits to pregnant women with
no other children. Of 31 states that provide benefits to
this population, 20 provided benefits earlier than
California's third trimester policy and eight states,
including New York and Illinois, provide benefits as early
as the first month of pregnancy.
Related legislation
SB 35 (Committee on Budget), Chapter 69, Statutes of 1993,
and SB 1078 (Watson), Chapter 1252, Statutes of 1993,
established the Cal-Learn Program.
SB 72 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review) Chapter 8,
statutes of 2011, the human services trailer bill, made the
Cal-Learn Program inoperative from July 1, 2011, to June
30, 2012, with the exception of the payment of supplements
and bonuses to eligible participants.
Arguments in support
According to the Western Center on Law and Poverty, the
-------------------------
<3> "Family factors and social support in the developmental
outcomes of very low-birth weight children," Dennis Hogan,
JM Park, Population Studies and Training Center, Brown
University, Providence, Rhode Island. Clin Perinatol. 2000
Jun;27(2):433-59.
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bill's co-sponsor, California's comprehensive approach to
pregnancy prevention among teens has put California in the
forefront of reducing teen pregnancy. "Still, in 2009,
nearly 48,000 babies were born to teen moms, some of whom
came from low-income homes. Teen moms who are poor and lack
parental support should not have to wait until their third
trimester to get basic needs grants to prevent hunger and
homelessness and the support services to help them succeed
despite the challenges of being a young mother. ? AB 1640
establishes a very modest baseline of support for a very
vulnerable population."
Arguments in opposition
The state Department of Finance in April issued a letter of
opposition to the bill, noting that the bill would expand
cash aid to a number of pregnant women. Since then, the
bill has been substantially amended to remove a requirement
to provide aid for adult pregnant women upon verification
of pregnancy. DOF notes that the April letter is
out-of-date, but does not have an updated position on the
bill.
Comments
Under current law, a pregnant teen with no other eligible
children in the household is not eligible for basic needs
cash assistance through CalWORKs until the third trimester,
unless she is eligible for the Cal-Learn program.
The Cal-Learn program has been suspended in the budget
since July 1, 2011, although the suspension is set to
sunset on June 30, 2012. The Governor's proposed 2012-13
budget eliminates the Cal-Learn program entirely, except
for stipends to be paid to successful graduates.
This bill would therefore do one of two things:
a) If the Governor's elimination is accepted or the
Cal-Learn program suspension is continued past the
current sunset date, the bill would require that all
otherwise eligible pregnant teens not living in an
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assisted household become eligible for CalWORKs
assistance upon verification of their pregnancy.
b) If the Governor's elimination is rejected and the
Cal-Learn suspension sunsets, the bill would require
that pregnant teens who do not qualify for assistance
through the Cal-Learn program but are eligible for
CalWORKs are able to receive benefits. It also ensures
immediate access to CalWORKs aid if the Cal-Learn
program is phased in over time.
PRIOR VOTES
Assembly Floor: 50 - 24
Assembly Appropriations:12 - 0
Assembly Human Services: 4 - 2
POSITIONS
Support: California Black Women's Health Project
(sponsor)
Western Center on Law and Poverty (sponsor)
American Federation of States, County and
Municipal Employees California Association
of Food Banks
California Catholic Conference, Inc.
California Communities United Institute
California Food Policy Advocates
California Hunger Action Coalition
California WIC Association
Children Now
Catholic Charities of California United
Coalition of California Welfare Rights
Organizations, Inc.
California State Association of Counties
California Welfare Directors Association
East Bay Community Law Center
Laborers' Local 777
Laborers' Local 792
Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
National Association of Social Workers
National Health Law Program
Public Counsel Law Center
STAFF ANALYSIS OF ASSEMBLY BILL 1640 (Mitchell)
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St. Anthony's Foundation
San Diego Hunger Coalition
Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
United Ways of California
Zero to Three
Oppose: California Department of Finance
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